Method of and apparatus for delivering torpedo attacks from aircraft



A. J. STONE.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING TORPEDO ATTACKS FROM AIRCRAFT.

' APPLICATION FILED DEC.27| 1918.

1,379,788. Patented May 31,1921.

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' M Wong Z? for-Hey ",UNYITED "ST'A ANDREW JAcIIsoNs 'oNE, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or OFFICE.

COLUMBIA, AssIGNoit To THE- GOVERNMENT 015 THE UNITED STATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

7 METHOD, on'AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING TORPEDO ATTAcxs FROM AIRCRAFT.

Patented May 31, 1921'.

Application filed December 27, 1918. Serial No. 268,560.

. To all'ivkom it may cbncem Be it known that I, ANDREW JAoKsoN STONE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Delivering Torpedo Attacks from Aircraft, of which the following is a specification.

It has been proposed, in the .art of maritime warfare, to launch self-propelled or automobile sub-marine torpedoes from aircraft in attacks against seacraft by lowering the torpedo from the aircraft, as the target is approached, through the medium of a wire or cable, apdby severing thecable when the torpedo has been lowered to a proper launching position relative to the water. In this plan means is provided for carrying the torpedo initially close to'the plane, for lowering the torpedo upon a wire or cable wound upon a reel, the observer in the plane controlling its descent manually, for causing the torpedo to head in the direction of line of flight of the plane, for advising the observer a short interval before it has reached the water, for severing the cable at the plane, and for automatically freeing the torpedo from the grappling mechanism which carries it when the cable is severedx It also may include means for re-reeling if desired.

It is of eat importance, in the plan thus outlined, title the cable shall be severed be-' fore the torpedo has encountered any 0011- I siderable resistance in the water, since such resistance against it while it is still attached tothe aircraft by means of the wire or cable might seriously affect the flying of the craft and, indeed, might put it entirely out of control. The means proposed for advising the observer 2, short interval before the torpedo has reached the water, so that he mayae guide himself in severing the cable, is in the nature of a so called sounder the end of which hangs below the torpedo itself and which in touching the water causes vibrations to be transmitted to the wire or cable upon which the torpedo is hung. While experience has shown that these Vibrations are perceptible to the observer, there is danger that under some conditions it may not be and I, therefore, propose means whereby the torpedo shall be automaticall released from the cable when it reaches t e water. Not only does my invention introduce this posifunction of severing the cable,

t1ve safety feature, but it eliminates the thus saving the cable upon the aircraft. This function, which 1s performed by releasing the torpedo from the lower end of the wire or cable in stead of at the plane, may be accomplished either automatically or by hand, and some of the appended claims are drawn broadly enough to cover either method. In either case the possibility of the wire or" cable dropping in the water in the vicinity of the torpedo and interfering with its course is eliminated.

A most important point of the present lnvention isthe fact that it eliminates the possibllity of the torpedo falling by gravity from any height, in which distance the torpedo might nose into the water and loose its course.

The above and other objects of my inventlon are obtained in the 1n the following specification, and illustrated in the attached drawings wherein:

F lgure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing my nventlon with the torpedo in the posltlon lmmediately before the same is launched;

v Fig. 2 is a detail view showing in perspectlve a portion of the torpedo grappling mechamsm; I

F 1g. 3 is an enlarged detail viewof the releasmg hook which may be employed, one slde of away for the purpose of illustration; and

F 1g. 4 1s a View, partly in section, illus-- trating means associated with the torpedo for relieving shock on the latter when it is released.

Referring to the drawings, the aircraft A, (which for illustrative purposes is disclosed as an aeroplane but which may be a lighterthan-a-ir craft,) is shown as carrying a hoisting drum or Windlass 10 upon which-is wound a wire or cable 11, to the lower end of which cable is releasably attached, as will be described, an automobile torpedo B. The drum 10 is provided with a brake 10 so that the torpedo may be contro-llably lowered, and may, if desired, be associated with a suitable motor 12, so that upon occasion the torpedo may be raised after being lowered. 'The drum may have a suitable register 13 by which the number of feet of cable paid off from the drum may be measured. As these parts, together with the torpedo B,

structure described may be of any suitable type or construction, and I claim no novelty therein, per se, they are shown more or less conventionally in the drawings. Secured to the lower end of the cable 11 is a releasing hook G and which is herein shown as having a frame 14 pro-' vided with a fixed jaw 15 and a pivoted jaw 16 cooperating, when closed, with the fixed jaw tofor-m a substantially closed eye which releasably receives a ring ;17 to-which the grappling mechanism D, gripping the torpedo B, 1s secured. The movable jaw 16 has a latch or finger 18 with which cooper comprises a plurality of slidably connected stout sections so that it will not, upon being drawn over the water, become entangled orballed up? as would a piece of ordinary wire.

For the purpose of automatically releasing the torpedo after it is brought to the correct launching position upon the surface of the Water, or if desired, slightly above it, a trail 20 which may be similar in construction to the sounder 20 is'connected to the trip 19.0f the releasing hook C and upon this trail is provided a cup-shaped member 21 having its concave face disposed toward the torpedo, so that when the cup comes into contact with the water, the movement of the trail is retarded with a jerk, whereupon the trip 19 is pulled and the grappling mechanism D, together with the torpedo B carried thereby, is released. If desired, the sounder 20 may be omitted, in which case the trail would be used as a sounder.

It will be noted that the cup-shaped member 21 near the endof the trall acts with the end of the trail as an indicating device for the pilot or observer showing the relative position of the torpedo with respect to the surface of the water. As the. torpedo is lowered, the cup-sha ed member which hangs substantially vertically will engage the water and produce vibrations in the suspend ing cable indicating the predetermined height of the torpedo from the water. Splashes will also be clearly observable before the release in operatlon takes lace, for it is necessary for the cup-shape d anchor at the end of the trail to engage the water with sufficient resistance which can only be done after the torpedo is further lowered and the trail assumes a position more nearly at right angles with respect to the suspending cable. J

y to the cable 11 at a pointthe 1 tongs,as most clearly shown inFig. 2.- Obviously, when the ring 17 is released, the tongs open up to release the load.

The torpedo B may be gripped b any For the purpose of ,controlling the train of the torpedo, that is, to maintain the heading thereof in arallelismswith the head of flight of the aircraft, the torpedo is provided aft with one or more vanes or fins 25, or these vanes or fins or other directin' means-may be made art of or carried wit' rappling mec anism. As will be readi y understood by those familiar with the art, when launching a torpedo, the'propelling mechanism therein must be set into 0 eration, and to accomplish this object in t e present invention, the torpedo B has a starting lever 26 connected by means of a 'spring'27 to thetorpedo, and cooperating with the rod 24in such a manner thatafter the grappling mechanism D is released fromthe releasing hook C and upon separation of the grappling mechanism and the torpedo- B, the lever is moved by the spring 27 and water resistance into armed position.

In Fi 4 of the drawings, I have inns-- trated s ock absorbing means, which may or may not be used, as deslred, for relieving the torpedo of excessive shocks, when the torpedo is released and While this Shock absorbm .means may be of any suitable type, I iave shown the same, for illustrative purposes, as comprising a V or'itrough like member 28 positioned beneath the torpedo, a plate 29 within the trough and upon which the bottom of the torpedo B rests, and springs 30 between the trough and the plate 29. If desired, the springs .30 may be replaced b an air cushion or-other resilient means. he jaws of the pairs of tongs 22 grip, the sides of the trough. When the torpedo is released from the cable 11, the trough will sink into the water and the springs 30 will, to a large extent, relieve the torpedo of injuri us shocks.

In carrying .out the -m thod of attack with the apparatus herein described, the cup member 21 is adjusted lengthwise of the trail 20 so that when the cup '21 strikes the surface of the water, the torpedo will be at the desired launching position on the sur.

face of the water, or, if desired slightly bove it. The aviator, upon sighting the and this vibration is communicated to the wire 11 so that the pilot or observer in the aeroplane may observe it, or, if desired, a suitable mechanism may be placed upon the aircraft which would be responsive to such vibrations of the sounder. 'The aviator, knowing the length of the sounder and the position of the torpedo with respect thereto,

can readily ascertain thedistance the torpedo is above the water. While the aeroplane is flying through the air, the head of the torpedo is in the same direction as the aircraft, due to the vanes 25, so that by pointing the aircraft in the direction of the target, the torpedo is properly trained.

The aviator proceeds upon/ his flight at any desired height of which the aeroplane is capable so as to stay out of range of hostile guns, until the torpedo is brought to within such range of .the ship that the success of the attack is assured. He will thereupon pay out some of the cable 11, so as to lower the cup 21 into the water, the cup being so positioned on the trailer that the torpedo is in proper launching pgsition when the cup strikes the water. hen the cup 21 strikes the water, the water will bank up therein, causing sudden retardation of the cup together with the trail, which will jerk the trip 19 backwardly, thus pulling back the pivoted jaw 16 of the releasing hook and releasing the grappling mechanism D and the torpedo B. The tension upon the ropes 23 having been relieved, the tongs 22 will 0 en and free the torpedo in which action't e starting lever 26 of the torpedo is actuated through the spring 27. The spring which holds the trip 19 1n engaging position is of such strength that it cannot be overcome by air resistance but will be overpowered by water resistance.

It is to be understod that my invention' is susceptible of various modifications and changes which would be within the spirit of the invention without departing from the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. The method of attack herein described, WhlCh COIISlSlJS in suspending a torpedo from an aircraft, transporting the torpedo with the same in close proximity to the surface of the water, indicating to the aviator the relative position of the torpedo with respect to the surface of the water, and automatically releasin the torpedo when it has been brought to t e proper launching posi-- tion relative to the water.

2. The method of attack herein described, which consists in suspending a torpedo from an aircraft at varying distances beneath the same, flying through the air at any de-' sired elevation with the, torpedo in close proximity to the surface of thewater, indieating to the aviator the relative position of the torpedo will respect to the surface of the water, lowering the torpedo a p re.

determined. distance when launching the. same, and automatically releasing the tor pedo when it has been lowered to proper position relative to"the water. I I

3. The method of attack herein described, which consists in suspending a torpedo from an aircraft at varying distances beneath the same, flying through the air at anydesired elevation with the torpedo .in close proximity to the surface ofthe water, indicating to the aviator the position of the torpedo relative to its proximity to the surface of the water, lowering the torpedo a predetermined distance when launching-the same, and releasing the torpedo when it has been lowered to launching position.

4. The method'of attack herein described, which consists in suspending'a torpedo from air aircraft, flying through the air at any desired elevation, and thus suspended gradually lowering the torpedo, indicating to the aviator the position of the torpedo relative to the water, training the torpedo, automatically releasing the torpedo when it has been lowered to. proper launching position relative to the water and starting the propelling mechanism of said torpedo.

5. The method of attack herein described, which consists in suspendin a torpedo from an aircraft, flying at a relatively high elevation, and thus suspended gradually lower the torpedo, indicating to the aviator the,

position of the torpedo relative to the water, training the torpedo, automatically releasing said torpedo from the sus ension means at a point adjacent the torpe o, and relieving the torpedo of shocks as it sinks into the water. i

6. In combination, an aircraft, a torpedo,

.means for suspending the torpedo at varyin distances beneath the craft, means for indicating to the aviator the relative position of the torpedo with respect to the surface of the water, and means for automatically releasing the torpedo. I

7 In combination, an aircraft, a torpedo, means for suspendin the torpedo at varying distances from t e aircraft, means for indicating to the aviator the position of the torpedo, and means cooperating with the surface of the water for automatically releaslng the torpedo.

- 8. In combination, an aircraft, a cablecarried thereby, means ,for var ing the effective length of the cable, a rel nism releasably carried by said hook, a torpedo carried by said grappling mechanism,

easing hook on the end of said cable, grappling mechaa trailer connected to said hook, and means on jthe trailer for retarding the same and actuating the hookto release thegrappling mechanism and the torpedo carried thereby.

*9. In ombination, an aircraft, a torpedo,

\ means for suspending the torpedo from the ,e'raft, a releasmg hook on the lower end of "the suspension means for releasably securing the torpedo thereto, a trailer connected to said hook, and a. member carried by said trailer adapted by striking the water to jerksaid trailer and actuate" said hook.

10. In combination, an' aircraft, a hoisting drum thereon, a cable carried by said drum, a releasing hook on the end of said cable, grappling mechanism earned by said hook,

' a torpedo carried by said grappling mechanism, means 'forstarting the torpedo whenr nism releasably' carried by sa1 fiedo therein, a trailer connected to said 00k, and means on the trailer for retarding the same and actuating the hook to release the grap lin mechamsm and the torpedo carried t ere y. 1

12. In combination, an aircraft, a cable carried thereby, means for var ing the effective length of the cable, a re easing hook on the end of said cable, grappling mechanism releasably carried by sald hook, shock absorbing means carried by, said grappling mechanism, a torpedo carried by said shock absorbin means, a trailer connected to said hook, an means on the trailer for retarding the same and actuating the hook to release the grappling mechanism, the shock absorbing means and the torpedo.

13. In combination, an aircraft, a cable carried thereby, means for va fective length of the cable, a re easing hook on the end of said cable, grappling mechanism releasably carried by said hook, a shock absorber comprising a V shaped member and resilient means in said member, a torpedo carried by said shock absorber and means for actuating the hook to release the grappling mechanism and parts carried thereby.

Signed at Washin ton, District of Columbia, this 27th day oi Deeember, 1918.

ANDREW JACKSON STONE.

ing the ef- 

